This invention relates to computer terminal control slide projectors, and more particularly to an interface between a PLATO IV terminal and a random access slide projector like the Kodak RA-960.
PLATO IV is a large-scale computer-assisted instruction system being implemented by the University of Illinois. The PLATO IV terminal contains a plasma display panel which was invented by Dr. Don Bitzer and others of the PLATO project. This panel is thin (about one-fourth inch) and adequately transparent so that images can be projected onto a rear projection screen placed at the rear of the panel. The PLATO IV terminal also contains a fiche projector and each fiche contains up to 256 images, each of which is 0.1 inch square. Any one of the 256 images can be randomly accessed under computer control and projected onto the rear of the plasma display.
The major problem experienced in the use of this internal fiche projector is that the fiche do not meet all standards for microform image size. Thus, there is a problem with availability of fiche generation equipment. Currently, the PLATO project has the only known camera system for efficient fiche production. This system uses 35 mm slides as the masters for the fiche and where after one has the 35 mm slides in hand, obtaining the fiche involves extra delay and cost without adding any advantages to the needed research and development.
The present invention is a solution to the problem by providing an interface to a radar access slide projector like the Kodak RA-960. The interface design entails no modifications to the projector or the computer terminal. No PLATO computer software slide-command changes are necessary, and the device is highly reliable.